Always choose well your work partner
by TuViejaEnTanga
Summary: Sougo's gaze darkened. Did he just listen correctly? He working along the China? Forget it. "There's no way I'm working with that China. Why is she working in that case too? I prefer going with Danna or Megane as last chance." he said in decisive manner. Kondo sighed. Hell this wasn't going to be easy.
1. Chapter 1

Hijikata Toshiro was late at night smoking a cigarette. It was peaceful, and everything seem quiet. _Too quiet._

He was in a rural place near the river, and strangely seem to be far away from the Shinsengumi HQ. Confused by the sudden change of view, he started walking around, in search of some clue. Suddenly, a shadow passed behind him and in a quick movemente, Hijikata drew his sword and took a defensive pose looking at his surroundings with narrow eyes. Seconds later, the same shadow appeared with a jump a started attacking him with his sword. Hijikata was surprised at how fast and agiles were his movements, and in some way he noticed his fighting style was similar to someone he knew very well. Surprisingly enough, he was able to keep up with his pace, but was also getting some sweat. Alarmingly for Hijikata, the shadow guy wasn't even flinching.

"Who the hell are you?" snapped Hijikata between gasps, having his sword clashed with his opponent.

The shadow didn't repond. Instead of that, with a last quick movement, he thrusted his sword deep in Hijikata's chest. The injured man looked up at his enemy with wide eyes and in a desperate move, he grabbed his enemy's mask and removed it. His last memory was Sougo's sadist smirk.

* * *

><p>"...Oi, Sougo, wake up." said Hijikata, who unsurprisingly found Sougo sleeping with his usual mask in working hours.<p>

"Hijikata's rotten dead body makes 430 Hijikata's corpses." mumbled the sleepy head in his sleep.

Hijikata's head vein popped and raised Sougo's body taking him brusquely from his red yukata.

"What the hell are you dreaming about, you fucked up sadist?!" he screamed in his ear.

Sougo woke up with a grunt directed to Hijikata. He took off his mask and looked at him with sleepy eyes.

"Uh, how disappointing. It was just a dream, after all." he said as a matter of fact.

"Shut your face! How can you be so relaxed when someone might ambush us?! You're too loose!" Hijikata took his hands off from him, and glared at him with arms crossed.

"I'm just loose around you, Hijikata-san. And I'm not the only one who is loosening around, look at Yamazaki, for example. He's playing badminton like always." said Sougo pointing with his gaze at Yamazaki, who was near them practising serves. Hijikata looked at him furious and started chasing him all around and shouting '_Yamazaki!_' to get him in his place. Sougo chuckled at Hijikata's antics.

_Some things never change,_ he thought.

"Sougo." a very familiar voice said approaching him.

The latter looked up and met his boss serious gaze.

"Kondo-san? Is it your hemorrhois's problem again? Danna advised you to meet up with that Zenzou guy who has experience with it." said Sougo with mild concern in his tone.

Kondo blushed, but kept his face straight.

"It's not that, Sougo. There's a problem with some criminals in Yoshiwara who are selling a new drug to kidnap women. It turned now into a severe problem, so I want you to go and trapped this criminals, along with the China-girl from the Yorozuya."

Sougo's gaze darkened. Did he just listen correctly? _He_ working along the China? Forget it.

"There's no way I'm working with that China. Why is she working in that case too? I prefer going with Danna or Megane as last chance." he said in decisive manner.

Kondo sighed. He knew he was going to act like this. The Yorozuya girl and Sougo had never been able to act like civilized beings towards each other since they met. Not even now they were able to see each other withouth spitting at their faces. Their rivalry was never going to end. Kondo was sure about it.

"It's an order, Sougo. You're the only one capacited to do this kind of job at the moment, and this is an issue we have to solve asap." he said as serious as ever.

Sougo cursed under his breath and got up in his feet. A cold breeze passed, and his long hair blowed in a slow motion.

"Better get over it, then."

Kondo smiled triumphally and signalized him to follow him. The actual Kondo Isao was as always, but he now had a scar wich went from his left eye to his right cheek. He also now used a blue yukata with a white belt attached at his waist. The said belt was also adorned with silver balls.

"So, when do we start?" asked Sougo, while walking along his boss.

"Now. The China girl is actually waiting for you at the entrance."

Sougo sighed listening at his answer, and kept walking towards the entrance. When they reached it, they found Shinpachi and Gintoki trying to keep Kagura in her place. She was squeezing around, trying to get free from their arms and escape. Both Kondo and Sougo sweat-dropped.

"Stop struggling, Kagura-chan!" cried Shinpachi, holding her from the arms.

Shinpachi had grown up in his own way; he was taller now and wore the same black outfit like when Gintoki travelled five years into the future (Gintama's second movie) and kept wearing his typical glasses, and had his black hair longer with the same wooden sword he'd always have held in his waist.

"You need to practise more your strength if you want to be able to hold her down." said Gintoki, who had already stopped trying to hold her in her place, and instead of that, he watched with his usual bored look.

"You're not helping at all, Gin-san!" screamed an angry Shinpachi.

Gintoki was the same as always, with his strange white yukata and white permanent. He hadn't change a bit in his appeareance and kept always lazing around.

_He stills being the same as always, looking out for those two_, thought Sougo with a small smile.

"Get off, you two bastards! I'm not working with that stupid sadist. I prefer to die." shouted Kagura, still struggling.

Sougo vein-popped and walked towards her. Kondo tried unsuccesfully to stop him, but sweated-dropped seeing his dark expression.

"I'll fulfill your wish." he said, drawing out his sword and pointing at Kagura's chin.

Both Kondo and Shinpachi yelped.

Sougo ignored them, and kept glaring at Kagura with a fierce look. Kagura also stop struggling and returned the glare.

Kagura was also grown up, and wore her Chinese dress like she'd always had. Her eyes were more narrow instead of when she was a child, and like every Yato female, her strength also grew up.

"I'm. Not. Working with you." she said, spitting at his face.

Kondo and Shinpachi (an also Gintoki) yelped.

Sougo, instead of cutting out her head, spat back

This time, the other three sweat-dropped.

And then, a war of spitings started between Kagura and Sougo.

Instead of coming between, Shinpachi, Kondo and Gintoki sat on the wood floor of the Shinsengumi building, and waited for them to stop fighting.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for stopping those two, Matsudaira-san." said Shinpachi with gratitud towards him.<p>

Matsudaira Katakuriko with the passage of time got an older and wise appeareance. But inside he didn't change too much.

"Those two need to be educated better." he said, giving Kondo and Gintoki an indirect threat.

Kagura and Sougo were tied and gagged looking at each other with contempt.

"Now that you're better, let's talk about your mission." Mitsudaira said, walking towards the two.

The two looked up and met Matsudaira's gaze.

"I'll explain you the plan. In this kidnapping plan there're three main culpables." he said, showing a picture of a fat green amanto with red eyes, another with a similar anatomy of a cat with yellow fur, and a human of ordinary appeareance.

"These three are from a bigger organization outter space wich works by kidnapping people for slavery. It seemed their target this time was the Earth. Their names are not important, we don't want to make them appear to be major characters of this series. Just slice them and you'll end the mission. They're currently located in Yoshiwara, at this exact coordinates." he explained, giving the two now untied and ungagged Kagura and Sougo, a map of Yoshiwara with a particular place rounded with a red marker.

"Isn't these the abandoned strip club?" asked Sougo.

"Yes, it is. They're supposed to be making their drugs products there. If you destroy the place along them, the issue will be settled."

"Good. I always take the opportunity of kicking some pervert's asses." said Kagura with a smirk.

Matsudaira smiled.

_These two united might become an unstoppable force_, he thought.

"Well then, go now before I kick your ass. I want you to be done asap." Mitsudaira took out his gun and started shooting everywhere, to wich Sougo and Kagura escaped with several holes in their outfits.

* * *

><p>"It must be here somewhere." said Sougo walking along Kagura.<p>

"You don't have idea where we going, do you?" said Kagura with a sour look.

Sougo ignored her, and instead pointed a place at the distance.

"There it is." said Sougo monotonous.

Kagura looked at the place he was pointing and saw the signal of 'Strip Club Yoshiwara' in a horrid state.

"Let's get going then, better finish this quickly." she said, getting ahead.

Sougo followed her behind, and saw her getting inside from the door.

_This is way too easy. I wonder if there's a trap waiting for us inside there_, he thought with a suspicious frown.

He got inside and watched his surroundings. It was a big and gloomy place with very poor light because of the covered windows. He saw Kagura some feet away from him, contemplating with wide eyes an imponent machine. Sougo walked towards her and saw it with an indiferent look.

"I get it's your first time seeing this kind of machine, isn't it? You get used to seeing this things when you work along us."

Kagura got off her absorption and glared him.

"We're not going to work with the Shinsengumi always, ya know. I heard you're having some budget problems and we, the Yorozuya, don't want to work for free." she said giving him a menacing glare.

Sougo smiled in his sadistic way.

"I'm just saying."

"Let's just destroy it and then look for those three mobs." she said, drawing out her umbrella.

"Don't need to say it out loud." the other said, drawing out his sword as well.

The two charged for it, and then it all happened in slow motion. A shadow figure appeared in front of them and with a slice of it's black sword, pushed them unto the wall.

Kagura was the first one to react, and followed it behind, shooting bullets from her umbrella. The show figure dodged them and some bullets brushed against his clothing. Sougo then jumped with agile grace and locked his sword with the shadow figure.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked gritting his teeth.

The shadow figure didn't answered, but instead stepped to where three new figures appeared.

"Well, well. Our boss was right after all, there were some little rats trying to ruin our job." the green amanto thing said.

The other two laughed at his comment, and Sougo and Kagura looked at them impassively.

"It's time to try this little gift." the ordinary human said, showing a small device in his hand.

"What're you mobs planning?" asked Sougo with a frown.

The three other vein-popped hearing him called them 'mobs'.

"It's just an experiment our boss wanted to try. Unfortunately for you, ya're going to be guinea pigs."

"This shadow guy here setted in you this little chips." the cat-like amanto said, showing a chip in his hand.

Kagura and Sougo had wide eyes when they remembered the attack wich sent them flying to the opposite wall. Before any of them were able to do any movement, the cat-like amanto pushed a buttom and a weird blue energy surrounded their bodies.

"Let's see what this does." the ordinary human said.

It was then, for everybody's surprise, Sougo and Kagura disappeared in thin air.

The three criminals blinked.

"Em, what just happened?" the green amanto thing asked.

"I don't know. Hey, Mister Shad..." the human guy turned and found out the shadow figure'd disappeared.

"I guess our boss has some things to explain us." the cat-like amanto said.

The other two just nodded.


	2. Chapter 2

_Eh? What happened? Eh? Wasn't the stupid China with me? Eh? Am I wounded? Eh...?_

Sougo had never been so desoriented in his life. With not less effort, he stood up on his feet with the help of his sword, and looked at his wound. Hell, it was nasty. It was seriously going to get infected unless he clean it up. But then, where was he going to get some help? The strange guy who attacked him back earlier left him a deep cut wich went from his chest to his stomach.

He stumbled back feeling dizziness, and supported his back on a tree. He took the grip of his sword with much force that his knuckles turned white. He wasn't going to give up now. Not until he haven't killed those three mobs. And he surely wasn't going to die before the China. He wouldn't allow that.

He then heard a noise near him, and realized someone was approaching him. With a frown, he got into a defensive pose and waited for the worst to happen. But fortunately, it was just a woman with a bag full of groceries.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed seeing him in such state. She dropped her groceries and ran towards him.

"Oh, you poor thing! What happened to you?! You need a doctor! Come here, I'll take you to see my friends. I was once the assistant of a doctor, so I should be able to take care of you, don't worry." she said too cheerfully for Sougo's taste, and catched his arm laying it on her shoulders.

Sougo looked her, still with the same feeling of dizziness. The woman was pale and wore red lipstick, wich contrasted significantly on her, and she also had long black hair. That was all he saw before passing out.

* * *

><p>Takani Megumi had just finished buying her groceries to make lunch, when she noticed a terrible injured young man trying to battle against his dizziness. Dropping her bag with not even the less feeling of remorse, she ran towards him with the purpose of helping him. When she finally started dragging him the best she can towards Kaoru's dojo, she noticed he'd finally fainted.<p>

_ He's really handsome,_ she thought, looking at his silent face.

She then shook the idea off with a sight blush. It wasn't now the time to think about that. She had to take him to the dojo asap. He needed medical attention right away. In her way to the dojo, she attracted many alarming faces of the people who looked at the young man's state, but of course they didn't help her. Megumi regarded the object on his waist. It was a sword. And all men who had swords attached to them might be dangerous.

When she finally got in Kaoru's dojo, she met Kenshin, who was hanging clothes on a rope.

"Oi, Kenshin! Could you please lend me a hand?" she shouted to get his attention.

Himura Kenshin, who was dressed in an apron, opened his eyed wide when he saw her along the injured man. Leaving the clothes on the ground, he quickly ran towards her and took the strange man in his hands.

"Kenshin..." said Megumi in low voice.

"No time for that, Megumi-dono. Let's treat him first, and then you shall tell me what happened." he said in a serious manner.

Megumi nodded and followed him behind. When they got in the dojo, they went directly to the guest room (ignoring Kaoru's yells), and placed him on a futon. Kaoru's cursings intensified and she appeared with a red face.

"KENSHIN! WHAT THE HELL ARE...you doing?" It was then, that she noticed the man lying on the futon.

Kaoru turned pale and placed her hands on her mouth.

"Kaoru, please bring me some medicines and bandages. I have to treat him right away." said Megumi in urgency.

Kaoru did as she said with no complaint, and went to get the things needed for the stranger's treatment. When she turned back, Megumi started treating him with full concentration and the other two couldn't do anything except watch how the stranger trembled and sweated in pain. After ten long minutes, Megumi finished sweating herself a little because of the tension, and turned to Kaoru and Kenshin.

"He should be fine." she said with a small smile.

Kenshin and Kaoru breathed a sigh of relief, and then the tension filled again the air.

"So...who is him?" Kaoru asked the question everyone was asking in their heads.

Kenshin turned his head towards Megumi.

"You were the one who found him. This one would be happy to know where you did." said Kenshin softly.

Kaoru also turned her head to listened to Megumi's answer. Megumi just tilted her head and watched the stranger's chest moving up and down as he breathed. The misterious young man had a very large and deep cut. That he did. And Megumi couldn't help but blushed seeing the man's expose chest wich was covered in bandages because of his wound.

"I don't really know him. I was just passing by when found him against a tree, trying to keep himself conscious. I couldn't just ignore him, especially after seeing him in such state; so I took him here. Sorry, Kaoru, if I disturbed you coming just like this. But I can't ignore someone who's about to die, especially if I'm capable of saving his life." she said with some tears scaping from her eyes.

Kaoru looked at her surprise that she'd say that, and even asking her forgiveness. Kenshin also looked surprise, but immediately changed his expression into one of affection.

"You did well taking him here, Megumi-dono; that you did."

"Don't apologize, you idiot! Who in their sane mind would ignore a defenseless person?" said Kaoru with a smile of her own.

Megumi wiped her tears and smiled. Then she diverted her look to look at the stranger.

"He should wake up in a few hours. I really want to know if his name is as cute as his face!" she said returning back into her cheerful character.

"Are you going to flirt with every man you come up with?!" exploded Kaoru.

"Aww, Kaoru, but look at you; you're also blushing. Is it because of his exposed chest?" said Megumi looking at her with naughty eyes.

Kaoru's face turned as red as Kenshin's hair.

"You..."

"Eh, I think we should leave this man alone, Kaoru-dono, Megumi-dono."said Kenshin awkwardly.

"I agree with Kenshin. Let's get going, you also need to prepare lunch." said Kaoru addressing Megumi.

Megumi, remembering she left the groceries back where she found the man, yelped.

"Oh, no! The groceries! I left them where I found him!"

Kaoru face-palmed.

"Hell, no..."

* * *

><p>Kagura was lost, in pain and hungry. But above the first two, she was extremely hungry. She wasn't really worried of her injury (after all, the Yatos had the ability to cure quickly than normal humans), but she then realized the sadist wasn't anywhere near her, and he might be in a worse situation. Not like she cared, pfff. That idiot could die, for all she knew. But she prefered to find him and beated him herself. If he was going to die, then he might die in her hands. No one except her was going to kill him.<p>

She was walking in a lonely forest, when she spotted a dirt road at the distance. She walked towards it, and saw a carriage coming, and an old man of friendly aspect was on it, driving a pair of horses.

"OII! OJIISAN!" shouted Kagura to catch his attention.

The old man stop his track, and gazed at Kagura. Seeing just a lost girl, he grinned in a friendly way.

"Oi, young lady. Are ya lost?"

"Yeah, kinda. Could you tell me where I am?" asked Kagura walking towards him.

"Ya're in the outsides of Tokyo, young lady. Want a ride? I see ya're a foreigner, aren't ya?" he asked kindly, looking at her exotic clothes.

Kagura opened her eyes wide. Where the hell was Tokyo? Wasn't this Edo?

"Eh, sure. I'd like that." said Kagura with a sweet smile.

"Good then. Get in here, we're going to the capital of Tokyo. The richest place on Japan." he said, and Kagura sit next to him.

"What's your name, ojiisan?" asked Kagura, trying to start a conversation while they were driving.

"Name's Endo Gorou. And you might be...?"

"Yato Kagura. How's life doing? It seems rather peaceful here."

The old man grimaced.

"Not really. There're some rumors circulating about a group of dangerous men around here. Nobody knows their true intentions, and let me tell you that lately there's been a lot of tension in the air."

Kagura looked at him curiously.

"Are they amantos, by any chance?"

Endo Gorou looked at her with a weird face.

"Amantos? What're talking about, Kagura-chan?"

Kagura had now a nervous smile stuck on her face.

"Em, Gorou-san, what year is it?"

"Huh? We're in in 1878. Ya know...Meiji's era?" The last he said as a question, seeing at Kagura's problematic expression.

_Eeeeeh?! What happened to XX centuryyyyy?! GIN-SAAAAN! I NEED YOU, GIN-SAN, MEGANE! I-I-I FEEL SO LONELY! BWAAAAA,_ screamed Kagura internally, letting out tears from her eyes, but keeping a straight face.

"Oiii! Kagura-chaaan?! What's wrong? Are you really _that_ lost?"

Kagura was going to answer, when suddenly a group of criminals MADAOS appeared in front of them, interposing in their way. They were four in total, and each one had knifes in ther hands.

"Give us your carriage, old man. Otherwise we'll kill and the lady." he said trying to sound threatening.

Gorou was scared and trembling, while Kagura was watching them with a contemptuous expression.

"You, lady, get here. If you do, we might not kill you." another one said.

"Kaguraaa! Please not!" cried Gorou.

"Shut up, you!" A man got him from behind and threw him rudely to the ground.

Kagura couldn't stand it anymore, and with a wild expression, he drew her umbrella and started attacking the men furiously, with no piety. Gorou looked at her fighting with wide eyes, impressed as how a young woman like Kagura could fight that way.

"I hope you MADAOS, learned your lesson." she said with a menacing stare.

The men couldn't answered her, as they were left in the ground with no breath left.

Suddenly, Kagura winced, holding her stomach wich started bleeding.

"Shit, the wound'd opened." she gritted her teeth.

"Kagura-chan!" Gorou ran towards her and helped her to move towards the carriage.

"Thanks, Gorou-san. And don't worry, it'll heal quickly."

Gorou looked at her stunned.

"What're you saying?! You need a doctor now! Oh, sweetheart, how long have you been standing with that wound? Ya're really're somethin."

"Heh, believe me, this is nothing. Don't need to be so dramatic. I heal faster than normal people."

_Literally_, she added mentally.

"I'm really impressed. Well, let's get going. We're very close to my house. There'll be my wife who knows something about medicine, so she maybe can help you."

"If it's really no problem to you, then I'll be happy to assist you." said Kagura with a small smile.

"Problem? Are ya kidding me? Of course not! After you've saved my life back there, I really owe you a favor."

Kagura smiled widely.

"Then we shall get going. The sadist might be waiting for me there also."


End file.
